DENVER – Four years after Democratic Party leaders promised a skeptical public that passage of Obamacare wouldn’t interfere with their existing health care coverage, a very different reality is taking shape — as thousands of Coloradans receive notices from their insurance providers that they will not be able to extend their current health care plans.

“Changes from health care reform (also called the Affordable Care Act) continue to take effect in 2014,” a September 10 letter from Anthem BlueCross BlueShield to one policyholder begins. “To meet the requirements of the new laws, your current plan can no longer be continued.”

“We would like to notify you that your current policy will be discontinued or not renewed…on December 31, 2013, because Humana will no longer offer your current health plan in the State of Colorado,” read a similar letter sent by that company to many of its policyholders earlier this month.

The letters stand in stark contrast to the assurances provided by President Obama during the height of the health care battle.

That is the exact opposite of what national political leaders, from President Barack Obama to U.S. Senator Mark Udall and then-Congresswoman Betsy Markey, told the American people during the Obamacare debate. They said, verbatim, that people would be able to keep their insurance plans if they want:

“We will keep this promise to the American people,” said Obama in 2009. “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away.”

“If you have an insurance policy you like, doctor or medical facility that provides medical services to you, you’ll be able to keep that doctor or that insurance policy,” said Udall [in 2009].

“If you like what (insurance coverage) you have you should be able to keep it,” said Markey.

What TCO has uncovered is that, no, you cannot keep your plan if you want. Even Republican Congressman Cory Gardner had his family’s insurance plan dropped. (Gardner has chosen to forgo government insurance and buy his own for his family).

According to the Observer story, Gardner is far from alone. He is joined by thousands of fellow Coloradans who are being dropped by their insurance companies:

“Last month, Humana sent letters to approximately 8,800 individually-insured policy holders in Colorado whose plans are not considered ‘grandfathered’ under the Affordable Care Act (ACA),” Humana’s Western Region Spokesperson Marina Renneke told TCO in an e-mail. “The letters outlined two Humana plan options for 2014 and encouraged recipients to learn more about the health care reform law.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield hasn’t confirmed how many drop letters they sent to Colorado policy holders.

Sure seems like a great story for the mainstream media to follow up on.

Thousands of Coloradans are losing their health insurance plans despite promises to the contrary. But, sure, go ahead Colorado media, please tell us more about who is eating fried chicken for lunch.

James Dodd Right. Here are the minimum requirements—-I would want all of these services for myself, and especially for my children; otherwise those who do not have this level of coverage but gets into an accident ends up making all of us pay for him/her. This is good for all of us:

Qualifying Health Plans are plans that meet the minimum standards set forth by ObamaCare. All plans sold on and off the ObamaCare Health Care Exchange must include the following to be considered a Qualifying Health Plan:

I agree Eugene. I have Medicare Advantage Humana and just got their 2014 renewal booklet. I didn't get a letter from Humana, but my premium is going up and nothing has changed with the plan with the exception of my medications which I didn't have to pay for through Humana's Mail Order Pharmacy but will have to pay for them in 2014.

Whoever said that to you was lying. What happened is that Obama cut off the corporate welfare to the insurance companies. Bush had put in place a system where Medicare paid private insurance companies to service seniors and called it Medicare Advantage. The research demonstrated that this was not accomplishing anything other than lining the pockets of the insurance companies. There has been and continues to be another form of "Medicare Advantage" which in unaffected by Obamacare. This is the private "gap" insurance that can be purchased to cover what Medicare does not. It will not be affected by Obamacare because Medicare already has imposed restrictions on the kind and level of insurance that companies can offer.

One of two things has probably happened. First, your daughter's plan may not meet the minimum requirements – in essence it is POS insurance. Or, the insurance company has decided – not required by Obamacare – to streamline the number of plans offered. The latter is happening all over. Nothing in the ACA requires insurance companies to do this. You can't blame the government for decisions like this that private capital makes.

That is the concept of insurance – shared risk. If you don't want to participate, I would demand that you have enough money escrowed to meet all of your potential medical expenses as they arise. If not, we let you die. I am tired of paying for people who don't have the common sense to plan for these things. Oh, that's right most Americans don't make enough money to escrow for medical expenses – Hospital critical care – $15,000 per day. Just crazy talk.

That is a lie. If you are 65, you sign up for Medicare – no maternity care coverage included or required. Insurance is about shared risk. I'll bet you want your monthly premium back if you didn't go to the doctor, too. Just plain crazy talk.

I received the 3rd quarter Semper Fidelis Memorandum for Retired Marines a few days ago. Right there on the cover, "Elimination of Some TRICARE Prime Service Areas. As it nears Oct. 1, 2013, change is around the corner for some beneficiaries … " TRICARE standard will still be available. Digging deeper, TRICARE claims that the elimination of Prime Service Areas (PSAs) relates back to the 2007 BRAC. However, the elimination of the PSAs occurring on the same day as Obamacare going into effect is a little odd. Coincidence? Possibly, but doubtful.

This might achieve the goal of the health care proponents if the letters had a return address from President Obama personally, which is what this infers, but it comes from their present insurer. How cane one keep anything no longer made available! Same old story, less coverage for more fees, the very thing this law is designed to eliminate .We claim world leadership, but when it comes to health care issues, we are dead last, sounds like leading from the rear, the very thing his proponents have tried to hang on our president and anyone else they Doesn't agree with in leadership positions. Have no fear proponents, as long as we have blame shifting, such as this attempt exemplifies, we will remain at the bottom, but the bottom line will remain at the top! ( What gains a man, if he losses his soul in the process (paraphrased)! The soul in this instance is our concern and care for our most needy, the weakest link in our national chain for survival as world leaders for all people!

I have BCBS Medicare Advantage. It was said months ago that 6 to 8 million would lose their advantage plans. This was part, of the 750 mil cut from Medicare to hold the cost down in the beginning . Haven't heard anything yet in Indiana.

Fact is….not a single American was without health care before this current fiasco, maybe mine was a bit better than the welfare people, but non the less they got taken care of…. Even the people here illegally that pay no taxes….huh? Who to believe? Both sides lie through their teeth. I am wishful that the government does get shut down, doesn't seem to me that the idiots in DC are getting anything done anyway……follow the MONEY

This is just what they want, these CO-OPs will fail, and then He'll (Oblama the Devil dictator) have what he wanted from the beginning, Single payer Health Care provided by the all knowing Federal Gov. Won't be long and we will be known as the USSA

All plans that you purchase MUST include "essential health benefits." Are you 65? Your plan still must carry maternity care. Never had a substance abuse problem? You plan still must carry substance abuse care. Don't have small children? You plan still must carry well child care. Before OCare, I could pick and choose which options I needed or wanted to pay for, and to help reduce my monthly premium. With OCare..no such thing.

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